Of Scars and Mothers
by BookWorm4099
Summary: Set after The Southern Raiders. Katara asks Zuko about what happened to his mother and how he gained his scar.


They were riding on Appa's back. Returning to where the others had set up camp. There was silence between Katara and Zuko when suddenly Katara, who had appeared to be deap in thought , asked:

"What happened to your mother?"

Zuko blinked in surprise "What?"

"Iasked you about what happened to your mother"

"Why?"

"Well I told you about my mother it only seems fair that you tell me too"

"Why are you so interested?"

"_Because I want to know if what you said about your mother in Ba Sing Se is true" _but out loud she said " Idont know I guess its just how mysterious you look it makes a persson wonder about your past"

"My past? What about my past?"

"About how you got that scar or what happened to your mother for instance"

"Believe me you don't want to know"

About what your scar or your mother?"

"Both"

"Why?"

"If I tell you about my mother will you stop pestering me?"

"Only if you tell me how you got that scar as well"

"Ugh! Fine, I'll tell you, when I was eleven my uncle was at Ba Sing Se leading a siege to capture the city but while this was happening my cousin, Lu Ten, was killed. Upon the death of his son my uncle left Ba Sing Se uncaptured mourning the loss of his only son. Meanwhile my father seeked council with my granfather Fire Lord Azulon. My father told him that since my Uncle had no heir left, he shout revoke Uncle's birthright and make _him _next in the line for the throne. Firelord Azulon was outraged he told my father that he should suffer the loss o his first born as Uncle had and ordered him to kill me. My father told me that he almost had killed me but my mother convinced him not to. He said that my mother performed treacherous deeds that night. I don't know what happened next. All I know is that my mother woke me in the night and said that she loved me and told me to never forget who I am. In the morning Azula told me that grandfather had died in the night and mother was nowhere to be found. I thought she was lying. Azula always lies, but his time she wasn't lying. No one knew what happened to her. On the day on thr eclipse when I confronted my father he told m that he had banished her. For so long I thought she was dead but now she may be alive. The thought alone gives me hope."

"Zuko, when this war is over, I'll – I'll come with you to help search for your mother, and im sure Aang , Sokka, Toph and the others will be more than willing to help. Together we can, we _will _find her"

"Thank you Katara" Zuko smiled.

The next part of the journey was spent in complete silence. Zuko was replaying the moments he shared with his mother in his mind. Katara was busy thinking about how horrible Zuko must have felt. The though of his own father killing him. It made Katara wonder if Zuko's childhood wasn't as perfect as eveyone thought it to be.

"But what about your scar"

"What about it?"

"You said you will tell me how you got it"

"Do you really want to know?"

Katara looked at him with pleading eyes.

"Fine, when I was thirteen I wanted to attend an important was meeting where all the important generels would be meeting, but the gaurds wouldn't let me in. So I begged my uncle to let me in. He told me that it would be awfully boring but I pesterd him. I told him that if I were to rule this nation I ad to learn about it as much as I could so he let me in but he warned me not to speak. He said that the generels were extreamly sensitive and I agreed. Inside the war meeting a generel porposed a paln to take out some high and strong force of earthbenders by using the forty-first division. Another generel protested that the forty- first division was entirly of new recruits and that how could he expet them to win. The genrel repilied that he didn't. He said that they will use the forty- first as a distraction and then send in an army of highly trained troops. I stood up and protested that how could they use them like that, how could they betray their own people. I forgot that my uncle had warned me not to speak out. My father grew angry and said that I had to fightin an Agni Kai, a fire duel. I looked at the generel tinking that I could defeat him, so I accepted. But on the day of the Agni Kai when I looked towards my opponent it wasn't he old generel. It was my father.

By speaking out against the generel I had disrespected him but doing so in the firelord'd war chamber I had not disrespected the generel but the firelord himself. I wouldn't face the generel in the Agni Kai but my fahter. I couldn't fight my father. So I begged him to forgive me I told him that I oly had the fire nations best interests at heart. He ignored me and told me to fight. I refused. He said_" You will learn_ _respect and suffering will be your teacher"_ and then burned me. When I woke up I was in ship with uncle and a crew of sailors travelling away from the fire nation. My uncle told me that my fthaer had banished me and I could only return when and if I ever captured the avatar and brought him to him."

"But the Avatar hadnt been seen for a hundred years then" Katara said

"I know"

"So he made it sure that you wouldn't return" Katara gasped in surprise.

"He did" Zuko said bitterly before turning way from her.

Appa growled and Katara saw that they were near their camp. Appa set them down and Zuko, wordlessly made his way away from Katara as if to avoid her.

The next few minutes passed in a blur, Katara recalled forgiving Zuko and Zuko asking Aang aout what he would do when he faced his father.

AT night when everyone was asleep, Katara lay awake pondering over what Zuko had told her. She couldn't believe how heartless the fire nation was. If there was one thing she knew it was the Firelord Ozai was pure evil and that he was going down.

**AN: The end. I hope you enjoyed it. This is my first Avatar fanfiction so please review with your feedback. Each reviewer gets a cookie! Thanks **


End file.
